A Black Orchid by any other name (Tom Ford: Black Orchid, Eau de Parfum For Women)

Member Name: lillamarta

Product:	Tom Ford: Black Orchid, Eau de Parfum For Women
Date:	04/03/09 (407 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Interesting attempt

Disadvantages: Feels synthetic, expensive, there are similar better value scents

Launched: 2006
Group: Oriental floral

:: Introduction ::

This fragrance has received a lot of hype during its launch in 2006. I remember popping into Debenhams to get free samples and I saw a small counter set up for Tom Ford Black Orchid where hostesses were handing out samples. This sample then ended up in one of my drawers without testing. Until now that is. So is this perfume worth it?

:: The bottle ::

The packaging is classy, stylish and very 'designer' for me. The bottle is solid black with a ribbed pattern on all sides including the cap. There's a square golden plate attached to the body of the bottle stating the designer and name of the fragrance. The outer packaging is a ribbed-effect golden carton with the small black square label so the colours have been inverted.

:: The fragrance ::

Top notes: blackcurrant, black gardenia, mandarin orange, lemon, jasmine, ylang-ylang, bergamot

The opening notes of Black Orchid are a mixture of fruity and floral notes that smell like a blend of zesty fruit and ground spices with a hint of dark chocolate and altogether give a fresh oriental feel. These notes were immediately familiar and it didn't take long to find out that to me they smelled like the opening and middle notes of Bulgari Blu Notte, my beloved dark and juicy oriental except for the slightly less citrusy feel.

A few minutes later I get a whiff of jasmine and ylang-ylang that add a fairly powdery and floral tone to the spices. This phase only lasts for about 15 minutes then it gradually fades and blends in with the middle notes.

Middle notes: spices, fruity notes, lotus, black orchid

After about a half an hour to an hour depending on temperature, the fragrance turns into a warm and spicy oriental that's lost its fruits but not the spicy florals. The sillage again reminds me of Bulgari Blue Notte, more specifically of the galangal (blue ginger), an aromatic-citrusy, earthy note. There are no powdery floral to soften or mask the composition so as I cannot detect any new notes developing, for me the perfume smells sweeter and more mellow but just like initially.

Base notes: sandalwood, amber, patchouli, vanilla, dark chocolate, vetiver, insense

About 3 - 4 hours later I'm greeted with a lovely, soft powdery finish of subtle woods and spices that unfortunately were too subtle for me to tell them apart. The most prominent were the vanilla and vetiver notes just like in Lancome Hypnose but had a bittersweet chocolate edge. A lovely combination that wasn't new (see Bulgari Blu Notte) and in Black Orchid it even seemed tired, clearly lacking a punch. A more generous kick of amber or insense would have shaken the drydown up from its turpor had they been given a freer rein.

:: Conclusion ::

However complex Black Orhid trying to be, in all earnest, it doesn't smell like one. It's one of those modern florientals that are designed to have a 'dark side' but one after the other fail to achieve it and always remain on the safe side. By using so many synthetic components that stay unchanged throughout, there's no real development and evolution. The notes are re-used in each phase which tends to wear them out. Black Orhid doesn't make a statement, it just says, I'm artifical and re-heated. If you're into genuine oriental notes with a dark feel, I recommend you try Bulgari Blu Notte, if you're into the dark chocolat note, you'll also find it there.

:: Price / Availability ::

Expensive (from £94 - £120 / 100ml Eau de Parfum) and has limited availability. I don't mind it that way.

Thanks for reading.

©powered by lillybee also posted on Ciao UK / US

Summary: A synthetic dark oriental